The UCSD men’s soccer team can add a new phrase to its vocabulary after a strong week of California Collegiate Athletic Association play: winning streak.
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The Triton soccer team looks like it’s finally living up to its preseason expectations — the CCAA coaches predicted the team would take the South Division of the CCAA when it recorded a win over conference-rival UC Davis. The victory was the Tritons’ second in a row.
UCSD, which improved to 3-5 in the CCAA and 3-7 overall with the two wins, outlasted the Aggies to earn a 2-1 victory in a double-overtime thriller Friday afternoon at Triton Soccer Stadium.
The two teams battled back and forth throughout an evenly matched first half. Neither team was able to break through, however, as both goalies played solid matches. UCSD’s Ryan Weirich finished with three saves while his UC Davis counterpart, Nic Platter, made four stops for the Aggies.
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The tie lasted only a minute into the second half before UC Davis (2-2-1 CCAA, 5-4-1 overall) got a goal from freshman midfielder Johnny Yau. After junior defender Ryan Powers launched a long throw-in into the Triton penalty box, junior Tyler Nelson crossed the ball to the far post to a waiting Yau, who slammed the ball into the top of the net to stake the Aggies to a 1-0 lead.
The lead was short-lived, however, because UCSD answered back in the 60th minute with a goal from sophomore Ryan Mizumoto. Mizumoto received a cross from freshman David Ower and pounded it off of a UC Davis defender to knot the game at one-all.
Following the tying goal, the two defenses stepped it up a notch and kept the match scoreless over the next 51 minutes.
It wasn’t until the 111th minute of the game that Triton sophomore defender Ryan Blair ended the marathon match with a put-back in front of the Aggies’ goal to give UCSD an important 2-1 conference victory.
The Tritons outshot UC Davis 17-14 in the double-overtime match.
UCSD will be back in action Friday as it hits the road for a CCAA match against California State University, Bakersfield.
